Come Back to Me

As tom and Alex tell us about some of the things they've gotten up to, I notice that Emma keeps staring at Alex. She is flirtatiously biting her bottom lip, which is what I occasionally do if I see someone that I like, and shes running her fingers through her hair. I don't think tom has noticed but I know that Alex has.

"Um, I'm just gonna go to the men's room." Alex says and shifts uncomfortably out the booth. As he walks to the men's room i notice that nearly every girl in this place is staring at him. I suddenly feel very territorial.. He's my.. Friend, who I badly want to kiss. But he is only my friend, that can't happen. I wish Mel hadn't planted the seed in my head.

"I'm going to the ladies room... Back in a sec. Emma runs off to the toilets and I get a sneaky suspicion that she is waiting for Alex.

"She's nice..." Tom says. I feel so bad for him. My phone beeps, it's a text from Mel.

'Hey hunni, where are you? Robert is an asshole. So over him! I need a drink!"

I text Mel back and tell her where we are.

"Mel is coming.." I say to Tom. I think tom and Mel really get on. Toms face lightens up.

"She is?"'

"Yeah, she's on her way."

Alex suddenly appears from the bathroom in a hurry and looking frustrated he sits down next to me instead of Tom.

"What's up with you man?" Tom asks.

"Nothing.."

I know what's wrong with him.

"You guys want anther drink?" Tom asks. We both nod and tom leaves the booth, giving me a chance to ask Alex what happened.

"So... Emma." I say. Alex looks at me looking guilty.

"She freaks me out with that gunk on her face." Alex says looking disgusted.

"Did she sneak up on you in the bathroom? Or wait till you were out? Or dragged you into the closet...??"'I ask, joking.

"She waited for me..how did you know?"

"Hey I'm a girl! I know how girls work!"

"I wish I did!"

Tom brings our drinks over.

"Have you guys seen Emma?" He asks, looking around.

"Umm.. No..haven't." Alex lies. I can see her chatting to Will.

An hour later Mel has arrived and tom has forgotten all about Emma. Mel and tom are in their one little bubble, and Alex and I are talking about his job.

"So how many shoot outs have you been to?" I ask. "You seem pretty experienced.."

"Yeah, experienced.. Like when I left you in that house to help tom while you were being shot at by your so called mother? I shouldn't have done that. You could have been killed."

"Don't feel bad about it, tom got hurt. Besides, I managed."

"Yeah, by dodging bullets. You're lucky, you know that? I watched you dive in front of those bullets and I watched you run to the stairs with bullets flying past you."

"Just lucky I guess. Or invincible..." I joke. Alex laughs and sips his beer.

"So what happened? When you went missing.. You haven't told us." I ask. Alex stares down at his beer.

"The officers and I walked in on some sort of gang war. And we were obviously the last people that they wanted to see. So they held us in a dark room, for hours. I heard them say they wanted a ransom. They killed one of my cops. They only got one punch on me and then there was a raid, and I got out."

"Wow..that poor cop..you're the lucky one!"

"I guess. I hate working in New York. It's more dangerous. More cases, much worse crimes.."

"Those two are getting along.." Alex says, pointing to Tom and Mel.

"'Yeah.. They are."

An hour later and I am laughing my head off at Toms jokes. I think the cocktails are having an effect.

"Oh guys!!! I have a fun game!!" Mel yells and pulls out a deck of cards.

"Sex cards!!"

"Huh?' I ask.

"It's just sex cards, we all guess each other's favourite positions and favourite things to do..."

"You do realise that I'm sitting here with my twin sister, right?" Tom says, confused.

"Oh it doesn't matter! It's just a game. Cover your ears if you have to!!"

"Right, what do we do??" Alex asks, clapping his hands together.

Mel lays out cards, all with drawings of positions, very clear to the point.

""It's simple, we just take turns. Guess what each of us like, and that's it..."

"That's it?" Tom asks. It doesn't sound very fun..

"Ok we'll make it interesting. If we get it wrong, we take a gulp of beer."

"What if we get it right?" Alex asks.

"Then... You get to ask a personal question. Obviously, tom and amy can't.."

"How about amy and I ask about growing up questions,since we didn't get to grow up together?" Tom asks.

"That sounds fair.." Alex says.

"Ok let's get started!!" Mel shouts over the music.